The Student Newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Volume XIV, Number 15
Charlotte, North Carolina
December 5,1978
UNCC working around bus strike
By Kathy Espin
An estimated 350 students
scrambled for rides to class last week
when Charlotte bus drivers and
mechanics went on strike.
The UNCC Office of Public Safety
(photo by Robin Colby)
A bus is a rare sight on campus as the Charlotte bus strike enters its second
week.
Heated debate on energy
By Lori Gulli
Nuclear power — a clean safe way
to meet our energy needs, or a hazar
dous risk with our lives, the earth and
the future of mankind?
These are the highly contoversial
aspects in the debate on nuclear
power held at UNCC last Thursday.
On the “pro" nuclear power side
were two employees from
Westinghouse Electric, Lee Elder and
Karen Adelson. The “con" side of the
nuclear power issue was represented
by Carlos Bell, professor of engineer
ing at UNCC, and Jesse Riley, senior
research assistant at Celanese Com
pany.
The debate was initiated by
Westinghouse Electric as part of
their “Campus America” program.
(Westinghouse makes the nuclear
power plants.) The uniqueness of the
program is the enlisting of young
engineers to represent their view, in
the goal of confronting nuclear op
position where it is the strongest —
college campuses.
The issues set many on the edge of
their seats (including the panel
members). They were backed up by
strong feelings on either side. If you
are not aware of what is involved or
were not at the debate, an example of
che issues goes something like this:
contacted all students who had pur
chased bus passes for this semester
and offered to arrange carpools for
anyone who did not have transporta
tion.
Public Safety Director Jerry Hud-
Pro: When considering nuclear
energy we should not isolate it but
look at it in perspective with other
energy sources. For example, nuclear
power is cleaner than coal. No citizen
has ever been killed by nuclear power,
whereas 10,000 people die premature
ly every year by coal pollution.
Con: After observation of coal we
have become aware of its faults which
are amendable but no money what
soever has been put into correcting
them because our energy funds have
been put almost solely into nuclear
power. We cannot make a comparison
of the two because the gases from coal
are biodegradable which will even
tually break down into natural
elements. Radioactivity from the
waste of a nuclear plant, however, in
volves plutonium which lasts half a
million yers. It is not biodegradable.
It takes only 10 pounds to make an
atom bomb. One millionth of a gram
will give one cancer if it gets in the
lungs. The difference is the danger is
incomparable because nuclear
radioactive contamination is very
often a subtle but deadly process. The
most fatal contamination is leakage
of waste (they lost 115,000 gallons of
high level waste at Hanford, Wash.)
which can mean concentration in the
(continued on page 9)
son said around 20 people called and
were given telephone numbers of
students living in their area who
would be driving. Only two students
were still having trouble finding rides
on Thursday.
“One student said he had to spend
the night on campus one night
because he couldn’t get a ride home,"
Hudson said.
Two vans have been rented to
transport students living at Queens
College to campus. Two round trips
are made each day. Hudson said any
students from the Providence Road
area who need rides can catch the
vans at Queens.
Students holding bus passes are
Charlotte mayor kidnapped,
students responsible for ransom
The news is out now. Charlotte
newspapers, television and radio sta
tions even received word of it. The
mayor of Charlotte is going to be kid
napped. Not only is he going to be
kidnapped, but it will be up to the
UNCC student body to see that he is
released.
In a ransom note addressed to the
students, they were told on Thursday,
Dec. 7, the mayor would be kidnapped
and held hostage on campus until a
ransom of canned goods, toys and
other “Christmas goodies" had been
donated to the Newell Lion’s Club.
The kidnapping is to take place on the
campus of UNCC where Mayor Ken
Harris will be held hostage in the
Student Government Conference
Room beside the Student Bank. An
anonymous caller told the Carolina
Journal the mayor will probably be
brought on campus at noon.
An all-out effort is being made now
by the UNCC students to organize
their clubs, organizations, floors and
groups to help with the charity and
negotiate with the kidnappers for the
mayor's release. PFM is offering a
free pizza party for any group con
tributing the most and having the
most effect on negotiations with the
kidnappers. The pizza party will be
planned at the group's convenience
and includes up to 100 people.
All contributions must be brought
to the student government office
where students will have a chance to
meet the mayor. One floor in Sanford
is planning to sing Christmas carols
to appease the kidnappers and enter
tain the mayor. Students are en
couraged to use their imaginations in
devising ways to negotiate with the
kidnappers. This will be an important
fact in determining the winner of the
eligible for temporary parking
stickers which will be good through
the end of the semester. Around 20
temporary permits have been issued.
Hudson said the extra cars on cam
pus have not caused a parking pro
blem except in the visitors’ parking
deck. The part of the deck reserved
for visitors has been expanded to
allow students without parking
stickers more space.
Hudson said the biggest affect of
the strike is the sale of bus passes for
next semester. “There isn't much de
mand for passes right now,” Hudson
said. He does not expect the reduced
ticket sales to have an affect on the
bus service next semester.
ro TH® UNSC students
IE
The Mayor © Charlotte-
• CI2 ESI let ijj m £$
“°° D '" OJsonew.^ Dons $£
more i«re R «ATio WILL 'oua>
Ransom note sent to UNCC students.
pizza party.
Any group of students or members
of the UNCC community are en
couraged to participate in this ex
cellent opportunity of sharing the
Christmas spirit. All contributions,
big or small, are welcomed, especially
by the mayor, whose release is deter
mined by the amount of donations
brought in. Santa Claus will also be
on the scene and rumor has it he is
planning an escape for the mayor.
A reporter will be bringing the
students on the outside detailed
reports of the negotiations and hap
penings going on. The Charlotte com
munity will also be holding its breath
waiting word as to whether the
UNCC students are coming through
with the contributions. The winner of
the pizza party will be announced at
the end of the release of the mayor.